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$2000M needed for S.I. coal

PA Te Kuiti A decision on whether to spend $2OOO million, to develop South Island coalfields must be made in 1983-84, said the Minister of Energy, (Mr W. F. Birch) on Saturday. When processed into, liquid fuels, coal could meet a third of New Zea- ; land’s needs in liquid fuels,, Mr Birch told a National Party women’s section at Te Awamutu. “About 1983-84, the Government of this country, whatever it may be, is going to have to make a very big decision, much bigger than the smelter which involves a capital investment of $650,000,000,” Mr Birch said. Initial estimates have shown that a capital investment of $2OOO million to develop the Southland and Otago lignite coalfields could produce about 10 million tonnes of coal a year. Mr Birch said he thought the project had to go ahead in order to get security in liquid fuels for agriculture and road, rail, and air transport. It would give New Zealand a selfsufficiency level in liquid fuels of 70 or 80 per cent.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19800811.2.6

Bibliographic details

Press, 11 August 1980, Page 1

Word Count
175

$2000M needed for S.I. coal Press, 11 August 1980, Page 1

$2000M needed for S.I. coal Press, 11 August 1980, Page 1